ICT for Capacity-Building: Critical Success Factors

ICT for Capacity-Building: Critical Success Factors Telecenters origin, sustainability, management, impact and challenges Case study of OneVillage Rural Community Telecenter-Arusha MR. TITUS TOSSY Founder

ONEVILLAGE RURAL COMMUNITY TELECENTER (Managed by a woman) “Educating a woman is educating whole Nation”

Tanzania@onevillage.biz WelcomeKARIBU www.onevillagefoundation.biz

DONORS • OneVillage Rural Community Telecentre was established in Arumeru District (for the purpose of serving two districts, Arumeru and Arusha district) in the year 2002 under the personal initiative and sponsorship of an Orphan ( lost parents at the age of 4 years through accident), Mr. Titus Tossy. • Main Goal was to bring ICTs as an enabler of Community development closer to hands of people(especially rural areas and marginalized groups) and let them exercise and use it. • It took 8 years to establish this telecenter

DONORS (Cont..) • The facilities were the orphan component assembling result. Hence for 8 years, this orphan was buying one computer part until when assembled them to this wonderful project • Founder also believe that “Educating a woman is educating whole nation” has used this principle and has materialized. The founder now is a woman Development activist.

DONORS (Cont..) • “The orphan believe that “ Together we will reduce the digital divide” hence requests the international and local aspirants to join him in this project through donating Computer facilities and financially assist the project.

ARUMERU AND ARUSHA DISTRICTS • The districts has a population of 799,526( with 392,180 and 407,346 men and women respectively) • Is where you can find Mount Meru • The main economic activities are farming, livestock keeping and trading. • More than 75% of people are living in rural areas, for which more than 47% are women and youngsters • Internet connection is very expensive here.( for ours I have lined a wire 4 km with more than 5 hubs between)

SERVICE OFFERED • Computer Training (more than 67 women and youngsters has been trained) • Secretarial services • IT Consultancy • Internet and Emails

SERVICES Seeking funding to be established • Photocopying ( seeking photocopy machine) • Scanning (seeking Scanner) • CD Burning ( seeking CD-Burner) • Video hire/shooting/show (seeking video cameras, etc.) • Fax and Telephone ( seeking telephone and fax machine, plus installation costs) • Conference room( seeking funds to hire big building)

USERS OF TELECENTER • Children • Youths • Women • Adults Before employing the principle of Women Leadership/Management

USERS OF TELECENTER(Cont..) Before Employing the Women leadership and Management

USERS OF TELECENTER(cont..) AFTER Employing the Women leadership and Management

USERS OF TELECENTER(cont..) • Regardless of our poor computers but we have served: • Trained 120 youngsters • Trained 89 women • Trained 69 men

TELECENTER MANAGEMENT • LSC-Community Level • Government representative • Farmers and livestock keepers • Business people • Academicians/profiessionals • Women groups • *** UNDER Chairmanship of woman. • PMC-National Level • Representative from respected donors • LSC Chairperson & Project Founder/manager

PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY • The sustainability of the project (during the start) was very difficult due to internet cut off. This resulted the founder to keep investing the funds from his pocket. • But after few months the sustainability is assured for running of the project and the workers are paid

CHALLENGES • Community Resistance to Changes • Poor telecom infrastructure (internet connection) • Constant power cut off • Language barriers • Poor facilities I have and in low quantity • Few computers while we have large population • Support form the local and international level • Small room and no conference room

Success • 78 youngsters out of 120 trained has secured employment and the rest has self-employment • 49 women out of 89 trained has secured employment and the rest has self-employment • All of the men secured employment

Success (Cont..) • Many community NGOs use our telecenter for printing and typing their works and for communication • It has accepted great attention from community level and all are asking to train their kids and family members • Received more than 26 requests from different regions requesting us to establish similar projects ( emphasize to be managed by women)

REMARKS: Factors lead to success • Accountability/Good Mgt Team • Community Participation & women ownership ( Educating a woman is educating whole nation) • Proper accounting systems • Good policies • Services should address community needs • Use of volunteers from local community and international community • Easy access to services • Good Customer Care. • ****** Women Leadership has resulted into great success**************

WAY FORWARD: What Next? • Build Community Center for Capacity building • Buy more facilities for our telecenter • Establish similar project in other regions ( to be managed by women: We request UNESCO (with its plan to build 100 telecenter) to appoint us to be the National Coordinator on establishing these Telecenters to be managed by women • Establish ICTs seminars and workshop for youngsters and women

CONCLUSION • “Educating a woman is Education the whole Nation” • “It is not the strongest species that survives or the most intelligent ones, but the ones that are most responsive to changes”

CONCLUSION • Onevillage Foundation Tanzania is ready to changes and make participation of the neglected woman to harness the ICT for development. • TO JOIN US, Use the following contacts

CONTACTS OneVillage Tanzania Box 15387 Arusha-Tanzania Tel: +255 748225269 Fax: +255 27 2544454 Email: tanzania@onevillage.biz or tossy@onevillage.biz

ICT for Capacity-Building: Critical Success Factors